A 30-year-old Limpopo woman has been arrested for the alleged murder of her newborn baby girl.

She allegedly smashed the baby against a wall at a public toilet in a mall in Malamulele, Limpopo.

It is alleged that the mother delivered the baby alone in the toilet and then gruesomely murdered her.

Limpopo Health spokesperson, Neil Shikwambana said it is alleged that the woman who hid her pregnancy from her family delivered herself in the toilet at a mall in Malamulele and thereafter killed the newborn by holding her with the legs and banged her head against the wall.

“She allegedly also teared the jaws of the new born with her bare hands. A general worker at the mall called for help upon witnessing part of the incident. The Emergency Medical Services tried to take the new born to hospital, but unfortunately the baby demised before she could reach the hospital.”

Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the suspect reportedly arrived at Kunjani Clinic at about 08:00, accompanied by her mother.

“It is alleged she went to the clinic to consult and find out why her tummy was growing big. This after she was allegedly denying she was expecting. While waiting for a consultation at the clinic, she told her mother she wanted to go to the bathroom at the adjacent Masingita Mall.

“The woman and the baby were rushed to hospital. She was later discharged from hospital and immediately arrested on a charge of attempted murder. The charge was later changed to murder after the police learnt about the baby’s death.”

Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba said her department will deploy mental health care practitioners to work with the SAPS in addressing this challenge.

“This is truly heart wrenching. Equally the gruesome manner in which the new born was allegedly killed is outrageous. As a department, we cannot rule out mental issues.

“I mean for a woman to hide her pregnancy until she delivers on a full term and thereafter kill the child cannot be normal behaviour. Hence we will through our mental health practitioners support the SAPS in dealing with the matter.”

Ramathuba further called on all men to be available to support their pregnant partners throughout the pregnancy period since this can go a long way in reducing the aggravation of some mental conditions.

The 30-year-old is expected to appear in the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.